The ICCE was recently represented by VP Europe Jose Curado and Brian McGuinness at a round table meeting in Frankfurt in December 2016, hosted by UNI Europa, a European umbrella organization for trade unions in the sport sector.

This meeting which was organized with UNI Europa’s social partner the European Asssociation of Sports Employers (EASE) gathered various stakeholders from the European not-for-profit sport sector (e.g. representatives of sports federations, sports ministries, sports clubs, academics, and employees) and to introduce the concept of social dialogue to them. 

Social dialogue – understood as a forum for employers and employees to discuss and to act on issues of common concern – is a little known tool in the sport sector. Examples from countries such as the Netherlands, France, or Sweden, however, demonstrated that an open exchange between employers can have a very positive impact in such areas as health and safety, skills, qualifications and lifelong learning. The European Commission has also recognized the benefits of social dialogue and its potential in contributing to the increasing professionalization of the sector. Further, the EC promotes social dialogue as means to improve good governance in sport. 

Invitees were encouraged to share their national perspective on the labour market challenges they face at home while delegates from EASE and UNI Europa shared good practices from national as well as European-level social dialogue.

The roundtable was part of a EU-financed project (VS/2015/0333) aiming to build capacity among employers and trade unions in the sport and active leisure sector.